Sanwo-Olu, Osoba, Amosun, others bid Jakande farewell

 
The remains of elder statesman and first civilian governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, were on Friday interred at the Vaults and Gardens Private Cemetery, Ikoyi, Lagos.
 
The funeral service was conducted by Islamic scholars and clerics from different communities and mosques in Lagos State, who prayed for the repose of the deceased and family members he left behind.
 
Leading Lagos State Government delegation to the funeral was Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, accompanied by his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola and other members of the State Executive Council.
 
The body of the late Jakande escorted by his wife, Abimbola, children, Deji and Seyi, among others, families, relatives, associates and eminent personalities, was brought into the Vaults and Gardens, Ikoyi under strict observance of COVID-19 protocols.
 
The remains of the deceased conveyed by TOS Funeral Ambulance was brought into the vaults in a MIC Funeral Casket guarded by six pallbearers.
 
Sighting the ambulance from far, security agencies and sympathisers who were standing outside the compound of the cemetery sang the National Anthem and other renditions for several minutes. The shout Jakande! Jakande!! Jakande, which was used to bid the former Lagos State governor farewell also rented the air.
 
Some of the dignitaries that attended the funeral service were former governors of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba and Senator Ibikunle Amosun, former deputy governor of Lagos State, Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu, All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains, politicians and journalists, among others.
 
Speaking earlier during a special fidau in honour of the former governor at the Ilupeju residence of the deceased, Sanwo-Olu described late Jakande as an embodiment of all the positives.
 
Hamzat, who represented Sanwo-Olu at the event, said the former governor was a great man who cared and served his people meritoriously when he had the opportunity to serve them.
 
“Baba Jakande was just an example of what all of us should aspire to be. A great man, humble, selfless, loyal, and dedicated. So, he is an embodiment of all the positives. A great man that served his people when he had the opportunity to serve. A man that cared for the people and a fantastic journalist,” he said.
 
Hamzat while paying tribute to the late Jakande, stressed the need for political leaders in the country to emulate the former governor by being humble and loyal to the country.
 
Recalling his personal encounter with the first civilian governor of Lagos State, Hamzat said Jakande showed up at his graduation at the University of Ibadan in 1986.
 
Signing the condolence register, the deputy governor wrote, “Baba was a great leader in the State of Lagos. The developmental strides he put in place is unprecedented and a greater leader in Nigeria. A thoroughbred Awoist and a man of the people.”
 
It would be recalled that Jakande, the first civilian governor of Lagos State and former Minister of Works, died on Thursday at 91.
The burial was preceded by  Islamic prayers at his residence, No 2, Bishop St., Ilupeju, Lagos in the morning.
Several personalities waited anxiously at the cemetery for the arrival of the body before the corpse was eventually brought at exactly 5:21pm.
Imams and dignitaries were well positioned under  heavy security provided by  operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, and soldiers to ensure a hitch-free ceremony as Islamic rites were conducted before the internment at exactly 5:45pm.
Islamic clerics from  various Lagos divisions took turns to offer long prayers for the repose of the soul of Jakande in Aljanal Firdau.
One of the clerics, Imam Lookman Junaid of Sangrose Mosque, Lagos Island described late Jakande as the best governor Lagos State ever had.
“May his soul rest in perfect peace. We have not seen any governor that has achieved what Jakande achieved. May God grant him Aljanal Firdau. Many people became educated just because of him.
“Many of us are educated just because of him. What about the roads, interconnectivity of Lagos, housing and other legacy  projects.
“He did a lot within a four year term. If he had been given the second term, he would have achieved more.
“No governor has ever achieved what Jakande achieved. He was a merciful governor. He was not self-centered.
“He was open minded and spent public funds for the public. He didn’t embezzle public funds. He lived well and he died well,” Juniad said.
Mr Kayode Opeifa, Vice Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Restoration of Law and Order in Apapa, and former Lagos Commissioner for Transportation, said that late Jakande remained unparalleled.
Opeifa said: ” There is none so far equal with him in governance of Lagos state.”
Also, retired Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, former military administrator of Lagos State, who handed over to Jakande in 1979, said that Jakande was a quiet man of peace and honour who governed the state well.